3D Web-Based Virtual Simulation Environments Extensibility through Interactive Non-Linear Stories

3D virtual simulation environments (VE) applications have been impelled mainly by the computer games industry, military and industrial training and product design development. However, most of the existing systems are focused on specific tasks and have a supporting structure, which is closely tight to the application. As a consequence, a change in the application usually means a change in the supporting structure too, making it difficult and expensive to develop new or to extend existing VEs. In this paper, we present a novel approach to building and extending 3D virtual simulation environments through the integration of interactive non-linear stories and Virtual Reality. With this approach, VEs are composed as non-linear stories which can be changed either completely or partly, making it easier for developers to build and/or extend VEs applications, such as highly dynamic marketing campaigns to 3D virtual shops, customized training courses, educational and entertainment games, etc. Moreover, the use of a non-linear story for building a VE application can also facilitate the communication among the different professionals involved in the building of complex VE applications.